Dialog In The Dark Hamburg

[Basa Benejan]

Themodel project Innoklusio is a journey with lots of stops, people and perspectives involved. On our journey, we aim to foster inclusion competence in our 14 pilot companies, support people with disabilities and initiate cultural change. Innoklusio is a three-year model project of Dialogue Social Enterprise GmbH (DSE) and is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (BMAS). The project is scientifically accompanied by the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HAW). The results of the evaluation will be published in the third year of the model project in 2024.

Therefore, we offer our partners a three-part program: Therefore, we offer our partners three modules: a mobile exhibition travels from one company to the other, a leadership seminar trains in inclusive management and an occupational educational program promotes inclusion managers in the pilot companies.

The mobile exhibition provides visitors with an interactive experience with various exhibits on inclusion and disability. The so-called black box marks the climax of the exhibition. It is the trademark of the exhibition Dialogue in the Dark in the Hamburg Dialoghaus. Inside, there is complete darkness. The visitors must orientate themselves using their other senses and are guided by visually impaired guides in various learning experiments. In addition to the black box, four portals with numerous exhibits invite the visitor to interact.

This low-threshold offer serves to raise the awareness of the employees. Participants recognize patterns of bias and exclusion. They are motivated to advocate for inclusion and for the needs of people with disabilities in their organizations. Our exhibition thereby builds on three key impulses:

Through the exhibition, we address all employees of the companies. It creates an open dialogue within the workforces, between people with and without disabilities. The visitors gain awareness of their own behavior and consider disabilities in a differentiated way. Through the exchange of experiences, the exhibition awakens the interest of the staff in anchoring inclusion in different areas of their companies.

The exhibition provides specific knowledge on implicit and explicit attitudes and on inclusive and exclusionary behavior. Questions on possible insecurities in communication and language as well as questions on disability are addressed and answered.

The exhibition offers companies an excellent opportunity to communicate their willingness towards more inclusion in the workplace, both internally and externally. Thus, the companies initiate a cultural change, position themselves as attractive, inclusive employers and improve their position in the market as they underline their ambitions for more participation and diversity.

The core of the seminar is a sequence in complete darkness in which the managers solve complex tasks under the guidance of moderators with disabilities. They act outside their routines, are emotionally challenged, and gain problem-solving skills. Under these unusual and demanding circumstances, trust, creativity, and dialogue help them to achieve common goals and unfold their potential.

Following this new intervention in darkness, the experience is raised to a cognitive level in a moderated discussion. The leaders become aware of coping strategies and acquire a vocabulary to express their experience. They sense: disability affects me.

The participants will then be provided with a learning space in which they can contribute specific challenges arising from their practice and connect them with the experiences gained in the dark. Through the seminar, the managers understand inclusion as a strategic business decision that secures their future, promotes innovation, retains employees, and identifies them as attractive employers. Thus, the managers pioneer an inclusive working world and strengthen their companies as socially responsible stakeholders.

We promote inclusion competence in companies and organizations in a sustainable manner. Therefore, we develop a six-month, occupational educational program aimed towards employees who want to anchor and drive the topic forward in their companies (human resources managers, inclusion representatives, CSR & Diversity Managers, etc.). The initiator of the educational program is Dr. Andreas Heinecke, founder of Dialogue Social Enterprise GmbH. The program is conducted in cooperation with the University of Applied Sciences for Social Design.

The educational program combines best practices with state-of-the-art research findings, thereby creating a stable foundation for deriving coherent organisational and cultural development measures and transformation in the short and long term. In face-to-face and online modules, participants are provided with a comprehensive overview of social, economic, scientific and legal issues related to the inclusion process. Trainers lead through the three classroom modules, which last several days, and provide the framework for the educational program. The classroom modules cover the following main topics:

The classroom modules are accompanied by six online modules which, with the support of speakers, delve into individual key topics such as change processes, invisible and psychological disabilities or transformation processes.

To drive cultural change and generate economic and social added value, it takes people, institutions, and companies to pave the way. Our 14 pilot companies are convinced by the approach of the pilot project. They are large international corporations, small and medium-sized enterprises as well as organizations from the social sector. They are all united by one goal: to foster inclusion in their organizations, to break down barriers and to recognize and use the potential of people with disabilities. They join forces to create change.

Innoklusio ist ein dreijhriges Modellvorhaben der Dialogue Social Enterprise GmbH, gefrdert durch das Bundesministerium fr Arbeit und Soziales. Das Konzept von Innoklusio und die damit verbundenen Marken sind das geistige Eigentum der Dialogue Social Enterprise GmbH.

Dialog-Formate sind eine Kooperation von Dialogue Social Enterprise GmbH und Dialoghaus Hamburg gGmbH.

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It's our time of the year to recharge and savor what we collectively harvested in 2023. Today is the time to thank you and celebrate together. Working towards inclusion in a fast-paced and inflamed world is not an easy task, yet we've collected wonderful contributions of our Dialogue teams and the trust of our visitors around the world.

As we did last year, we've kept our report precise and focused on the core of what we've accomplished as a community in 2023. It showcases the essence of our achievements and the progress we've made together.

Stories are an excellent mean of conveying and illustrating impact. Beyond numbers, stories tell real-life examples, describe emotions and demonstrate change. Below you'll find a selection of amazing Dialogue stories that are making an impact around the world:

We partnered with LUCAS, Frankfurt's renowned international children's film festival, and introduced the topic inclusion for the first time at its 47th edition. We conducted audio description workshops with school classes and our guides, culminating in student presentations at the festival. During the Family Festival Sunday at the German Film Museum, our team hosted engaging activities on Braille, visual disability, and navigation. One highlight was a family quiz that taught audio description skills in a playful way. Collaborating with the German Film Museum, we developed a game based on film stills, challenging families to identify descriptions. Moderated by Florian Schneider, a professional audio describer, the quiz provided an exciting and educational experience for both guides and visitors.

At DiD Singapore, we welcome interns every six months to collaborate with our guides to promote inclusion. Samantha Hu, one of our interns, shared her experience on LinkedIn. She reported on her newfound awareness of communication barriers and learnt about inclusive practices such as audio description. I understood how my visually impaired colleagues felt when they were excluded from communication, such as popular programmes in Singapore. I would hardly have learnt this in a communications or marketing company. I also learnt empathy. Not only towards my colleagues with disabilities, but towards all people around me. I realised that I need to acknowledge the needs of others and take a moment to support them."

A teacher approached us regarding a blind student who was being excluded by her classmates. Despite their request for a three-hour programme, we were able to manage expectations and emphasize that changing mindsets takes time. The visit went smoothly, which was initially challenging for the blind student fearing undue attention. Our reversal of roles in the dark boosted her confidence, showing her capabilities. Our guide facilitated discussions, marking the first step on their inclusion journey. The teacher promised to return for further planning, recognizing the impact of our programme on fostering empathy and understanding amongst the students.

At the HSBC Community Festival, our DiD Empower team conducted the "Always in Mind" carnival, spotlighting elderly care needs and honoring their contributions. This event emphasized three key messages: visit nursing home residents, recognize their lifelong efforts, and encourage elders to embrace life. Through talent showcases and experiential booths like packing in the dark and silent dining, attendees fostered joyful interactions and appreciation. Fifteen members with disabilities of the Empower team contributed to activities such as assisting booths and coordinating. Over 300 visitors, including families of elderly residents, embraced the message. This event exemplifies Dialogue in the Dark's commitment to edutainment and impactainment.

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